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Tag: Family Research Council

  • Kim Davis Switches Political Parties, Now A Republican–Receives Support from Pope Francis

    Kim Davis is no longer a Democrat. The Kentucky county clerk who refuses to issue marriage licensea for gay and/or lesbian couples has switched political parties and is now a Republican.

    “She has come to the conclusion that the Democratic Party has left her,” her lawyer, Mat Staver, said Saturday in a statement. “She has decided to switch her voter registration. However, the issue of religious freedom in this case is not a partisan issue. It is neither Republican nor Democrat. It is an inalienable right and what makes America the land of liberty.”

    Staver added that Kim Davis “has been a lifelong Democrat but has received no support from the Democratic Party or leaders.”

    Kim Davis’s political party switch was revealed on Friday when she was asked by a Reuters reporter if she had ever thought of switching parties.

    “I’ve already done that,” she answered.

    Davis added that members of her family had become Republicans, too.

    “They’re all changed,” she said. “My husband and I had talked about it for quite a while.”

    On Friday night, Kim Davis was honored at the 10th annual Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C. The event–a gathering of social conservatives–was sponsored by the Family Research Council, the same group Josh Duggar worked for before resigning due to his sexual molestation scandal.

    Kim Davis received the “Cost of Discipleship” award. She addressed the group, saying, “I want to start by thanking my Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ, because without him none of this would have ever been possible. For he is my strength that carries me and it is his mercies that follow me every day. And it is his love that endures all things.”

    Kim Davis received support from Pope Francis during his visit to the United States in recent days. He says refusing to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples is her right.

    Kim Davis was ordered to jail earlier in September for her refusal to issue marriage licenses bearing her name to same sex couples.

    How do you suppose most Republicans feel, knowing they now have Kim Davis on board?

    What are your feelings about Pope Francis’s support for the Kentucky county clerk?

  • Anna Duggar Still Pregnant As News of ’19 Kids and Counting’ Cancellation Impacts Duggar Family

    Anna Duggar is still pregnant amidst news that TLC has cancelled her husband’s family’s reality show. How do you suppose Anna Duggar feels, knowing her husband–Josh Duggar–is likely responsible for 19 Kids and Counting’s cancellation?

    Just a few days ago, Anna Duggar posed alongside sister-in-law Jessa Duggar Seewald, as they compared the sizes of their respective bellies. Anna’s is much larger than Jessa’s, of course, as her baby is overdue. Jessa and Ben Seewald aren’t expecting their baby until the first of November.

    Michelle Duggar shared word of Anna Duggar’s overdue status, as well as the photo of her daughter and her daughter-in-law.

    Well, sweet Anna is now past her due date! First time she has ever gone "late" instead of early! Here she is with our…

    Posted by Duggar Family Official on Sunday, July 12, 2015

    “Well, sweet Anna is now past her due date! First time she has ever gone “late” instead of early! Here she is with our Jessa. Be praying for these girls. Pretty soon we will get to kiss the sweet face of another Duggar grandbaby!!!” Michelle Duggar wrote.

    Josh and Anna Duggar confirmed their fourth pregnancy back in December. They are already the parents of one daughter and two sons. A pregnancy reveal right before Josh Duggar’s sexual molestation scandal first made news showed Anna Duggar is having a baby girl this time around.

    Hopefully Anna Duggar’s remaining days of pregnancy are happy and healthy ones. She has no doubt been under a great deal of stress since her husband made news and their family had to move from Washington, D.C. back to Arkansas when Josh Duggar resigned from his job with the Family Research Council. These events are stressful enough without being pregnant at the same time.

    Anna Duggar said she knew about the sexual molestations in Josh Duggar’s past before she married him.

    Do you suppose she is in any way now regretting her decision?

    Do you think Josh and Anna Duggar’s marriage will survive?

  • Jessa Duggar, Jill Duggar: ’19 Kids and Counting’ Sisters Say Josh Duggar Made ‘Bad Choices’

    Jessa Duggar Seewald and Jill Duggar Dillard spoke with Fox’s Megyn Kellyn on The Kelly File Friday night about their brother Josh Duggar’s sexual molestation scandal. The sisters explained that what happened to them was very mild compared to what happens to many victims of sexual molestation.

    “I was one of the victims so I can speak out,” Jessa Duggar said. “In Josh’s case, he was a boy, young boy in puberty, and a little too curious about girls and that got him into some trouble,” she said. “And he made some bad choices, but really the extent of it was mild inappropriate touching on fully clothed victims. Most of it while girls were sleeping.”

    “We didn’t even know about it until he went and confessed it to our parents,” Jill Duggar Dillard said. She added that what happened to her was “very mild compared to what happened to some.”

    “So many girls go through things that are a lot worse,” Jessa added.

    Jessa Duggar Dillard believes her brother Josh Duggar had undergone a big change when he returned from counseling following the sexual molestations.

    “I think by the time that … the report was made and everything, it was very obvious to everyone, us and our family, friends, officials that Josh was a completely changed person,” she said. “He had not gone down that path for years. He was humble before God, before us, before the officials that were involved.”

    Both Jill and Jessa Duggar have forgiven their brother. They are far more upset by the media these days than by what their brother did to them all those years ago.

    “I see it as a revictimization that’s even a thousand times worse” than the molestation, Jill said. “Because this is something that was already dealt with. We’ve already forgiven Josh. We’ve already moved on.”

    Do you think TLC will move on from the Josh Duggar molestation scandal? Will it mean the end of 19 Kids and Counting and a life with no reality show for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their large brood?

    Josh Duggar and his wife Anna, along with their children, were reportedly packing up to move from their home near Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, where he once worked for the Family Research Council. They are heading back to Arkansas. They were being assisted by Kate Gosselin’s bodyguard, Steve Neild.

  • Anna Duggar: Will Josh Duggar Sexual Molestation Scandal Destroy Their Marriage?

    Anna Duggar is at the center of the Josh Duggar sexual molestation scandal. When word broke in the media about what the 19 Kids and Counting son did to four of his sisters, Anna Duggar issued a statement saying she supported her husband.

    “I can imagine the shock many of you are going through reading this. I remember feeling that same shock. When my family and I first visited the Duggar home, Josh shared his past teenage mistakes. I was surprised at his openness and humility and at the same time didn’t know why he was sharing it. For Josh, he wanted not just me but my parents to know who he really was–even very difficult past mistakes,” her statement read.

    Now OK! reports that the scandal is seriously wearing Anna Duggar down. She is reportedly humiliated and discouraged by the events that have taken place since the media got wind of Josh Duggar’s past transgressions. Anna is feeling ‘trapped.’ Sources are speculating this could destroy Josh and Anna Duggar’s marriage.

    An insider has told OK! magazine that Anna Duggar didn’t understand the seriousness of what her husband did, or that he was a teenager when the sexual molestations occurred.

    Josh Duggar sexually molested five underage females when he was between 13 and 14 years old. Four of them were his sisters. On a Wednesday night interview with The Kelly File’s Megyn Kelly, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar admitted that daughters Jill and Jessa Duggar were among Josh Duggar’s victims. It is likely that Jana Duggar and Jinger Duggar–given their ages at the time the molestations took place–were his victims, too. Josh also sexually molested one underage female from outside the 19 Kids and Counting family.

    Anna Duggar is in a difficult spot. Pregnant with the couple’s fourth child and due in July, she is busy with three small children at home. She is also enduring a very sudden move from a luxury apartment in Washington, D.C., where Josh worked for the Family Research Council, and subsequently resigned, to a foreclosed home the couple bought in Arkansas back in January.

    Do you expect this sexual molestation scandal might result in the demise of Josh and Anna Duggar’s marriage? Or will she cling to her strong Christians beliefs and stick by her husband no matter what is dredged up from his past?

  • Anna Duggar: Did She Know ’19 Kids and Counting’ Husband Josh Duggar’s Cover Was About to Be Blown?

    Anna Duggar posted a rather cryptic message in the days before word of Josh Duggar’s sexual molestation scandal broke, prompting some to wonder if the 19 Kids and Counting daughter-in-law knew her husband’s cover was about to be blown.

    Us Weekly says in a new report that it was just a week ago when Anna Duggar posted a message on Instragram that didn’t seem relevant at the time, but since learning that Josh Duggar sexually molested five underage females when he was a teenager–four of those girls being his own sisters–it seems perfectly relevant now.

    Anna Duggar didn’t caption the post. She simply put it out there for her followers to see.

    See if this doesn’t appear like she knew her husband’s silence was about to be forever broken.

    A photo posted by Anna Duggar (@annaduggar) on

    Since Josh Duggar’s sexual molestation bombshell broke, Anna Duggar has defended her husband. She shared her own statement with People magazine.

    “I can imagine the shock many of you are going through reading this. I remember feeling that same shock,” she said. “When my family and I first visited the Duggar home, Josh shared his past teenage mistakes. I was surprised at his openness and humility and at the same time didn’t know why he was sharing it. For Josh, he wanted not just me but my parents to know who he really was–even very difficult past mistakes.”

    Josh and Anna Duggar have closed down their website in the wake of his sexual molestation scandal, too. Josh Duggar has resigned from his job in Washington, D.C. with the Family Research Council.

    Do you think Josh and Anna Duggar were given a few days’ heads up that his past was coming back to haunt the entire 19 Kids and Counting family?

    Since then much speculation has arisen that Jana Duggar, Jill Duggar Dillard, Jessa Duggar Seewald, and Jinger Duggar might be the four siblings Josh Duggar molested.

    How must Anna Duggar truly feel about what her husband did–even thought it was many years ago?

    Josh and Anna Duggar have three children. She is pregnant with their fourth.

  • Family Research Council Deletes Josh Duggar Page Amid Scandal

    Last year, Josh Duggar and wife Anna moved to Washington, DC. The 19 Kids and Counting cameras followed them there.

    The official story was that Josh was moving to the Capital to work with the Family Research Council, a conservative organization that is involved in lobbying. Josh Duggar was brought on board to work with FRC Action, a lobbying arm of the Family Research Council.

    Duggar said he moved to work with FRC Action because he believes that, “Our faith is really under attack right now.”

    But Josh was also being billed as “The New Face of Faith and Politics.” And some wondered if he was being groomed for a future run for office.

    Now Josh Duggar has resigned from the Family Research Council amid a scandal about child molestation. In a statement released to the public, Josh Duggar said:

    “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling.”

    Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement regarding the resignation of Josh Duggar:

    “Today Josh Duggar made the decision to resign his position as a result of previously unknown information becoming public concerning events that occurred during his teenage years. Josh believes that the situation will make it difficult for him to be effective in his current work. We believe this is the best decision for Josh and his family at this time. We will be praying for everyone involved,”

    The Family Research Council page that used to tout the qualities of Josh Duggar now stands blank.

    Montel Williams has notably spoken out about Josh Duggar’s actions, saying that he is yet another Conservative who has preached about the behaviors of others while having a covered up molestation in his own background. But Williams also nailed the Family Research Council to the same cross.

    “Sorry, Josh Duggar is a bigot, slimebag. Whole family is, and FRC is a scam. Yup, Gay people are the danger to kids? NOPE, JOSH DUGGAR IS”

    Support for the Duggars is growing thinner by the day, and TLC has pulled their show from future airing schedules, but released no statement at this time.

  • Anna Duggar Fully Supports Josh Duggar, Despite ’19 Kids and Counting’ Star’s History of Sexual Molestation

    Anna Duggar fully supports her husband, Josh Duggar, despite the fact that he sexually molested four of his sisters and one other female–all minors–when he was a teenager. She has known about the incidents since two years before marrying into the 19 Kids and Counting family.

    Josh and Anna Duggar were seemingly living their dream until word broke earlier this week about his devious past. Josh worked as a lobbyist for the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C., where he lived with Anna and their three children. They are expecting their fourth. Just days ago the family revealed the gender of the new baby–due in July.

    Dad Jim Bob Duggar and Mom Michelle Duggar join Anna Duggar in standing by Josh.

    “Back 12 years ago our family went through one of the most difficult times of our lives,” Jim Bob, 49, and Michelle, 48, said in a joint statement to People magazine. “When Josh was a young teenager, he made some very bad mistakes, and we were shocked. We had tried to teach him right from wrong. That dark and difficult time caused us to seek God like never before.”

    “Even though we would never choose to go through something so terrible, each one of our family members drew closer to God. We pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family. We have challenges and struggles every day. It is one of the reasons we treasure our faith so much because God’s kindness and goodness and forgiveness are extended to us–even though we are so undeserving. We hope somehow the story of our journey–the good times and the difficult times–cause you to see the kindness of God and learn that He can bring you through anything,” the statement reads.

    Anna Duggar shared her own statement with the media.

    “I can imagine the shock many of you are going through reading this. I remember feeling that same shock,” she says. “When my family and I first visited the Duggar home, Josh shared his past teenage mistakes. I was surprised at his openness and humility and at the same time didn’t know why he was sharing it. For Josh, he wanted not just me but my parents to know who he really was–even very difficult past mistakes.”

    Anna Duggar added she had confidence that the counseling Josh received “changed his life.”

    “He continued to do what he was taught. [I know] who Josh really is–someone who had gone down a wrong path and had humbled himself before God and those whom he had offended,” she says. “Someone who had received the help needed to change the direction of his life and do what is right.”

    Josh Duggar, of course, issued a statement to People at the same time his parents and Anna Duggar issued theirs.

    “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” his statement reads. “I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.”

    “I would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions,” he adds. “I sought forgiveness from those I had wronged and asked Christ to forgive me and come into my life. In my life today, I am so very thankful for God’s grace, mercy and redemption.”

    TLC pulled all episodes of 19 Kids and Counting from the air on Friday. Its future is a bit uncertain at this time.

    It’s almost unthinkable that Anna Duggar can live a normal life as a wife and mom, knowing what her husband did just over a decade ago.

    Could you live with a man you knew molested his sisters and a family friend?

  • Michelle Duggar Against ‘LGBT’ People, Called Them ‘Child Predators,’ Own Son Josh Duggar Molested Children

    Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting fame has a long history of speaking out against LGBT people. She has referred to them before as child predators. Meanwhile, she had a child predator living within her very own family. What’s wrong with this story?

    Josh Duggar–the eldest of the 19 Kids and Counting brood–molested several young girls when he was a teen. Fox News reports that four of them were his own sisters.

    Just about a year ago, Michelle Duggar recorded a robocall saying if ‘equal protection laws were passed for LGBT people in Fayetteville, Arkansas, their children would be exposed to child predators.’

    “I don’t believe the citizens of Fayetteville would want males with past child predator convictions that claim they are female to have a legal right to enter private areas that are reserved for women and girls. … We should never place the preference of an adult over the safety and innocence of a child,” she said in the call.

    Since word of Josh Duggar and his sexual molestations have come to light, Mike Huckabee has come to his defense. He posted a message on Facebook defending not only Josh, but Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, too.

    Janet and I want to affirm our support for the Duggar family. Josh’s actions when he was an underage teen are as he…

    Posted by Mike Huckabee on Friday, May 22, 2015

    It is unfathomable that Michelle Duggar could think of calling people child predators simply because they are LGBT, when she had an actual child molester who had lived under her very roof with the rest of her children. She and Jim Bob Duggar kept this under wraps for years.

    Even worse than knowing your son is a child molester and keeping quiet about it is the fact that four of the five females he molested were his siblings–Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s own daughters. How can a parent think that’s okay?

    TLC has reportedly taken 19 Kids and Counting off the air. Josh Duggar has resigned from his position in Washington, D.C. at the Family Research Council–an anti-LGBT group.

    Four of the Duggar daughters–possibly Jana, Jill, Jessa, and Jinger Duggar are living with the memory of what their brother did to them. So is one victim not related to the Duggar family.

    Michelle Duggar has a lot of nerve calling out LGBT people.

    Doesn’t the Bible say, “He who is without sin can cast the first stone?”

    Michelle Duggar cast a stone.

    And look what she and her family were hiding.

  • Josh Duggar, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar: ’19 Kids and Counting’ Family Members Admit Molestations Occurred

    Josh Duggar admits he was charged with molesting minors during his teens. His parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar say it’s true as well. A police report from back in 2005 hit the media yesterday, proving that the eldest of the 19 Kids and Counting siblings sexually assaulted his sisters–all minors at the time–as well as another female minor.

    This means it’s quite likely that Jill Duggar Dillard, who recently had her first baby, and Jessa Duggar Seewald, who is expecting her first baby on November 1st, were among the sisters who were molested.

    Josh Duggar gave a statement to People magazine on Thursday.

    “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” Josh, 27, said in the statement. “I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.”

    Josh Duggar has resigned from his position at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C., where he lives with his wife, Anna Duggar, and their three children. They are expecting their fourth child.

    Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the 19 Kids and Counting patriarch and matriarch–and Josh Duggar’s parents–issued a joint statement to People.

    “Back 12 years ago our family went through one of the most difficult times of our lives,” their statement reads. “When Josh was a young teenager, he made some very bad mistakes, and we were shocked. We had tried to teach him right from wrong. That dark and difficult time caused us to seek God like never before.”

    “Even though we would never choose to go through something so terrible, each one of our family members drew closer to God. We pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family. We have challenges and struggles every day. It is one of the reasons we treasure our faith so much because God’s kindness and goodness and forgiveness are extended to us–even though we are so undeserving. We hope somehow the story of our journey–the good times and the difficult times–cause you to see the kindness of God and learn that He can bring you through anything,” Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar’s statement continued.

    Anna Duggar says she supports Josh Duggar, claiming he confessed his “past teenage mistakes” two years before he proposed to her.

    “I can imagine the shock many of you are going through reading this. I remember feeling that same shock,” she says. “When my family and I first visited the Duggar home, Josh shared his past teenage mistakes. I was surprised at his openness and humility and at the same time didn’t know why he was sharing it. For Josh, he wanted not just me but my parents to know who he really was–even every difficult past mistakes.”

    Josh Duggar claims he is still living with regret over the sexual molestations to this day.

    “I would do anything to go back to those teen years and take different actions,” he says. “I sought forgiveness from those I had wronged and asked Christ to forgive me and come into my life. In my life today, I am so very thankful for God’s grace, mercy and redemption.”

    If Josh Duggar molested the older of the four Duggar daughters, that would mean Jana Duggar and Jinger Duggar were molested, in addition to Jill Duggar Dillard and Jessa Duggar Seewald. Do you suppose they are living with regret over what their brother did all those years ago?

    Might this disturbing revelation signify the end of 19 Kids and Counting? Will TLC continue producing a show that features an admitted sex offender?

  • Josh Duggar Hired by Conservative Christian Lobbying Group

    Last week, Josh and Anna Duggar announced the birth of their third child, Marcus Anthony Duggar. Josh is the oldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the heads of the massive family depicted in the TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting. At a healthy 9 pounds, 3 ounces, Marcus was another step along the path to another large Duggar family.

    This week, Josh Duggar has been hired by a conservative Christian lobbying group in Washington. The Family Research Council (FRC) announced on Monday that Duggar has joined the organization as the Executive Director of FRC Action. Despite its name, the FRC does not lobby primarily on family issues. Instead, the organization focuses on opposing abortion, gay rights, euthanasia, stem cell research, and pornography.

    Josh has moved his (relatively) small family to Washington D.C. for the new job, which involves running the “action” wing of the FRC. Josh has previous political experience, having founded a political consulting firm called Strategic Political Services in 2006, and consulted on former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum‘s run for the 2012 Republican nomination for president. The FRC has stated that Josh will be working in “grassroots outreach” and working on “engaging more young people.”

    Gay rights organization GLAAD seized on the news to reiterate its opposition to the FRC, which it calls an “anti-gay organization.”

    “If Josh Duggar wants to make a living dehumanizing and denigrating LGBT people and their families, that’s his business, but FRC’s lies and stereotypes need to be treated as such,” said Wilson Cruz, a spokesperson for GLAAD. “Josh’s new boss Tony Perkins has actually accused LGBT equality advocates of being pawns of the devil. Fans of his family’s reality show ought to know that.”

    Josh and Anna’s marriage has been chronicled for years on 19 Kids and Counting. In celebration of the birth of their third child, TLC is released a video retrospective of the couple’s appearances on the show:

  • D.C. Shooting Suspect was Carrying Chick-fil-A Sandwiches

    In a bizarre twist to the story of the attempted shooting at the headquarters of a conservative religious lobbying group in Washington D.C. yesterday, the shooter was apparently carrying Chick-fil-A sandwiches in his backpack. According to an FBI affidavit, the man, Floyd Lee Corkins, was carrying 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches in the same backpack from which he pulled a handgun before shooting a security guard.

    Chick-fil-A has been at the center of the U.S. fight over gay rights in recent weeks after the Jim Henson company cut its marketing ties with the restaurant when Chick-fil-A’s president, Dan Cathy, made public comments opposed to same-sex marriage. Since then, the restaurant has seen a conservative Christian-backed appreciation day and a “kiss-in” day by gay rights supporters. All of this attention has made Chick-fil-A one of the fastest growing brands on Facebook.

    The shooting occurred on Wednesday when Corkins entered the lobby of the Family Research Council (FRC) offices. The FBI affidavit states he said “something to the effect of, ‘I don’t like your politics,’” to security guard Leo Johnson, then pulled the handgun from his backpack and shot Johnson in the arm. Johnson was able to wrestle Corkins to the ground and disarm him. The gunshot wound was not life-threatening and an FRC spokesman has said that Johnson is expected to make a full recovery.

    According to an AP report, Corkins is 28 years old and lived with his parents at the time of the shooting. He had recently volunteered at an LGBT community center in the D.C. area. Corker has been charged with assault with intent to kill and carrying firearms across state lines.